Noninvasive measuring device for substance in blood via nail and a nail evaporation device

• US 20070161877A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KEIO University, Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: KEIO University, Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Arai, Tsunenori, Ito, Narushi, Oka, Yasunobu, Kawase, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00061 spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00765 Decreasing the barrier function of skin tissue by radiated energy, e.g. using ultrasound, using laser for skin perforation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00625 Vaporization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00785 Reflected power
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent

Abstract

A device and method for optically measuring a substance in blood using the nail as an optical window are provided. A device for optically measuring a test substance in blood by using the nail as an optical window and correcting or eliminating fluctuation of a measurement value based on optical characteristics of the nail plate, comprising irradiation means applying light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by the test substance to the nail of a subject, detection means detecting light diffused/reflected from or transmitted through the body of the subject, and processing means processing a signal obtained by the detection means to convert the signal into a concentration of the test substance.

Claims

1. A device for optically measuring a test substance in blood by using the nail as an optical window and correcting or eliminating fluctuation of a measurement value based on optical characteristics of the nail plate, comprising irradiation means applying light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by the test substance to the nail of a subject, detection means detecting light diffused/reflected from or transmitted through the body of the subject, and processing means processing a signal obtained by the detection means to convert the signal into a concentration of the test substance.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation means and the detection means are contained in a probe, and light is applied by the irradiation means through the nail into the body of the subject and light diffused/reflected from the body of the subject is detected by the detection means through the nail.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the irradiation means applying light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by the test substance to the nail applies light to capillary vessel of the nail bed portion.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation means applying light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by the test substance to the nail applies near infrared light.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the wavelength range of the light to be applied is 1 to 2.5 μ

m.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a blood glucose level measuring device.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is used for measuring blood urea, creatinine, BUN, or CP (creatinine phosphokinase).

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising monitor means, which monitors a water content and a keratin content of the nail by using light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by water in the nail and light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by keratin in the nail, and which is capable of correcting optical characteristics of the nail plate.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the monitor means uses light having a wavelength of 1 to 3 μ

m as the light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by water in the nail and light having a wavelength of 1 to 2.5 μ

m as the light within a wavelength range for measuring absorption by keratin in the nail.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising means for immobilizing/holding a finger tip portion, in which the immobilizing/holding means has the irradiation means and the detection means.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a nail plate evaporation device, which partly removes the nail plate by evaporating the nail plate by applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate, for optically measuring a test substance in blood in the nail bed portion by using the nail as an optical window and correcting or eliminating a fluctuation of a measurement value based on optical characteristics of the nail plate, and which comprises a evaporation depth monitor means having irradiation means applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate and light detection means detecting fluorescence emitted from the nail plate and the dermis for monitoring evaporation depth of the nail plate.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the coherent light source is ultraviolet laser light or OPO.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the ultraviolet laser light is ArF laser light.

14. The device according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein a pulse energy density of the laser is not less than 10 mJ/cm²·

pulse.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein, in monitoring the evaporation depth of the nail plate, irradiation is performed with a fluence such that intensity of plume emission, which is simultaneously generated in a wavelength range of fluorescence generating during light irradiation for evaporation, is equal to or less than intensity of fluorescence emitted from the nail plate and/or the dermis.

16. The device according to claim 11, further comprising means immobilizing/holding a finger tip portion, which has the laser light irradiation means and the light detection means of the evaporation depth monitor means.

17. A nail plate evaporation device, which partly removes the nail plate by evaporating the nail plate by applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate, for optically measuring a test substance in blood in the nail bed portion by using the nail as an optical window and correcting or eliminating a fluctuation of a measurement value based on optical characteristics of the nail plate, and which comprises a evaporation depth monitor means having irradiation means applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate and light detection means detecting fluorescence emitted from the nail plate and the dermis for monitoring evaporation depth of the nail plate.

19. The nail plate evaporation device according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the coherent light source is ultraviolet laser light or OPO.

20. The nail plate evaporation device, according to claim 19;

wherein the ultraviolet laser light is ArF laser light.

21. The nail plate evaporation device according to claim 17, wherein a pulse energy density of the laser light is not less than 10 mJ/cm²·

pulse.

22. The nail plate evaporation device according to claim 17, wherein, in monitoring the evaporation depth of the nail plate, irradiation is performed with a fluence such that intensity of plume emission simultaneously generated in a wavelength range of fluorescence generating during light irradiation for evaporation is equal to or less than intensity of fluorescence emitted from the nail plate and/or the dermis.

23. The nail plate evaporation device according to claim 17, further comprising means immobilizing/holding a finger tip portion which has laser light means and light detection means for evaporation depth monitor means.

18. A nail plate evaporation device, which partly removes the nail plate by evaporating the nail plate by applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate, for forming an orifice (orifices) to administer a pharmaceutical composition for a cutaneous disease and/or a systemic disease via nail on the nail plate, and which comprises a evaporation depth monitor means having irradiation means applying light generated from a coherent light source to the nail plate and light detection means detecting fluorescence emitted from the nail plate and the dermis for monitoring evaporation depth of the nail plate.